


Escape

by thecompletebookworm



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: AU, Belle escapes from Regina before the Curse is Cast, F/M, Regina does not make an appearance but is referenced at the height of her evil queen days
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-09-30 20:04:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17230361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thecompletebookworm/pseuds/thecompletebookworm
Summary: Belle escapes from Regina’s castle.  She comes to Snow asking for assistance, not knowing the woman is keeping Rumple prisoner.





	Escape

Belle looked over her shoulder hastily.  She couldn’t get caught now, not when she was so close.  She had only a few hours, maybe less until the Queen knew she was missing.  Their plan had been tricky, relying far too much on the Queen’s habit of locking herself up to work on her curse whenever news of Snow White reached the castle.  The huntsman had been adamant in it’s impracticality.  

But still she was here.  

Snow White and Prince James’ Kingdom was almost indistinguishable from that of the one she had just left.  There were more people around, generally louder people, amplified by too many tankards of drink walking crookedly out of the tavern.  But the village could have been anywhere.  It even reminded her of Avonlea.  The same thatched roofs, wooden carts and cobblestoned pathways.

 It was more than she had expected to ever see again.  Belle had counted the days in her tower until it was finally just too much.  She was out of space and out of patience.  So Belle did what she had always done.  She became her own hero.

Standing at the new royal’s gates, Belle felt like she could finally breathe freely again.  She wouldn’t be able to go much farther on foot and she wasn’t sure if the Queen’s concealing charms would still prevent her from calling Rumplestiltskin. 

There was no denying that Snow White would help her.  Belle had learned quite a bit about her when the Queen would go on her rants.  Snow couldn’t even execute the woman who had hunted her down for years.  Snow would be willing to help someone on their way back to their true love.  (The Queen had been particularly vicious with the use of that term.  It was an insult coming from her lips.) 

Belle tapped on the shoulder of the sleeping guard.  He looked vaguely familiar.  He blinked her eyes several times and stared at her blearily.

 “I’d like an audience,” Belle kept her sentence simple adding the slight tilt of her chin that was almost required for a noble.   She just wanted to be taken seriously. 

Belle knew she looked like a horrid mess.  Her blue dress torn to shreds and her hair was in snarls interwoven with leaves.  Her bare feet left bloody footprints on the stone.  She had run for miles through woods to get to this point and Belle was not one to leave her freedom to chance. 

“You can have one in the morning.” 

Belle shook her head forcefully, wrapping her fingers tightly around the bars until they were white.  “I don’t have till morning.” 

The man stared at her blankly.  Belle couldn’t help but let out an exasperated sigh.  Surely he had fought against the Queen.  No one received a palace guard position unless they were loyal.  Didn’t he understand that some situations were urgent? 

Belle summoned the words that could bring back those memories.  “The Queen is after me and I’d rather not give up my head start.”

Those appeared to be the magic words.  The gate swung open for her.  “What’s your name?  Someone can prepare a room for you in the meantime.  Queen Snow will want to speak to you.” 

Belle uttered the title she thought she would never use again.   “I am Lady Belle of Avonlea.”  

* * *

The bed was the softest thing Belle could possibly imagine.  The piles of pillow and quilts would have been luxurious even before her cell, but now it was heaven. 

It was wonderful to be able to open her eyes and see light peeking in through the window, to see light at all. 

Belle changed into the simple gown given to her by the kindly Johanna the night before and scrubbed away more of the dirt from her face.  No matter how many times she washed, Belle didn’t feel clean.  She reasoned that she would probably remain uncomfortable until she was back home, back to the Dark Castle. 

She could imagine it well.  Some days, Belle would force herself to recall every detail of the place just to remind herself.  It kept her sane and she would not give the Queen any more satisfaction.  The Queen could not rob her of these memories.  Belle wouldn’t give the things she loved up without a fight. 

That was part of the reason she was going back after all.  Rumplestiltskin would always be worth fighting for. 

Belle opened the door to peer out into the hallway. There was no guard outside her room, which was reassuring. She had not believed she would be considered a threat, but she also knew that in times of war no royal could be too careful.  

She moved back into her room, shutting the door lightly, before moving back to the bed to nestle in the covers.   It wasn’t that the castle was cold exactly. Belle simply had far less meat on her bones to keep her warm. The sight in the mirror before she covered it had not been a pleasant one.  

Even clean dressed to meet royalty except for the elaborate quilt slung tightly around her shoulders, Belle did not feel safe. Safer of course, she had gained protection from the Evil Queen's nemesis and if Snow White was even willing to show the Queen mercy, surely a lesser noble who only wanted to find her love would not be seen as a threat, even if her love was the infamous Rumplestiltskin.  

Belle hugged herself tightly. It had been four years. Part of her was certain that all she needed to do was get to the Dark Castle and Rumplestiltskin would welcome her with open arms. The Queen had forced her to watch through an enchanted mirror when she told him of his little maid's horrific demise. Belle had never wanted to hold him more than in that moment.

When his voice had broken on the word home in his question, "so she needs a home?", Belle had screamed, even though she knew it would have no effect. In a panic, she tried to pry her shackles away from the wall.   While she had tried before, her rage ran so deep that she was certain this time it would be enough. With just a little more effort, she would be able to escape, to get home.    

It hadn't been that day. It hadn't even been that year. But now Belle was out of the shackles, out of that tower room, and on her way home.  

"Their highnesses are ready to see you, Miss"  

With a deep breath, Belle dropped the blanket and smoothed out her dress.   She had refused any assistance offered by the maids this morning, needing to take back control of her own life in any way she could. But now, running a hand through her clean curls, Belle wondered if that would be seen as a slight by the King and Queen to refuse their hospitality.

* * *

It had been a long morning already.  Queen Snow cared little for why Belle had been captured and all too much about what the Evil Queen had been up to.  

“She didn’t talk about her plan?  Her curse?’  The pregnant woman stopped her pacing to stare at Belle.

Belle resisted the urge to roll her eyes.  She had been a prisoner, locked away and attended to only when it was deemed an appropriate time to gloat.  "I was not in a good position to know.”  

Queen Snow rubbed her stomach as if trying to reassure herself the child was safe.  

Belle glanced around the room.  It wasn’t one of the receiving halls typically used by Nobles; it was smaller with a large wooden table taking up much of the room.  The stained glass softened the light falling on her skin, so Belle didn’t look quite as pale as she knew she was.  She would look more like herself soon. Even with just a set of clean, although slightly large, clothes, Belle felt almost as alive as she did in the Dark Castle.  

Only almost because her true love was still separated from her by a few feet of stone.  

Belle tried breaching the subject again, “I have business to deal with Rumplestiltskin.  It involves my true love.”

The other woman sighed, “I know it’s tempting to just have some magical solution,” she smiled a sheepish smile before continuing, “He won’t be able to help you.  It is best for everyone if that monster is contained”

Belle’s next words were instinct, often needed to reassure the man himself.  “He’s not a monster!” She bit her bottom lip afterwards trying to keep herself from spilling more than she had planned.  Rumplestiltskin had always been secretive (and it really wasn’t Snow White’s business anyway.)  

Belle took a deep breath,  "I’ve encountered monsters.  You just can’t reason with them or at least there is no logic to them.  Rumplestiltskin is different.“  

Snow’s face was thoughtful but not convinced.  

"He’s always fair in his bargaining.  He doesn’t take more than the price.”  

Queen Snow, apparently overcome with the need to offer maternal guidance, put her hand on Belle’s arm.  "But are you willing to pay it?“  

Belle could only nod.  As far as she was concerned, she had already paid her price.  Now it was time for her happy ending. 

Snow motioned to her guards, despite the uncertain look on her face.   Then she turned back to Belle. “You will not approach him. You will not give him your name and you must wear a hood at all times.”  

“Thank you, your Majesty. This is truly the only way I will ever see my True Love again.” 

Snow gave her a sharp look.   “We are not releasing him for you and he has no magic in his cage. I’m afraid that you will likely be disappointed, but we would be willing to give you resources to return home or protection from the Evil Queen if you stayed.   There is no need for you to be another desperate soul for him to prey on.”   

Belle pretended the smile creeping across her face was due to the young Queen’s generous offer instead of the fact she was only minutes away from seeing her True Love again.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Parts of this have been published before as snippets to Tumblr. I'm now in the process of combining them and giving our lovebirds a happy ending.


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